What's the best option - Multiple hubs or just single?

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Hi all,

Wonder if someone can offer some advice about what’s the best way to integrate multiple eco systems into HA and especially where lighting is concerned.

My house is flooded with a mix of Ikea Tradfri and Philips Hue bulbs, i’ve also got some smart switches from Hue, Hue Dimmer Switches and several Tradfri motion sensors and buttons. The Tradfri Motion Sensors / Buttons are not yet connected up. I’ve also got the Hue Wall Switch Modules that are not yet connected up either.

In terms of hubs i’ve got 2x Philips Hue hubs and the new Ikea gateway. Everything that is setup so far is on the Hue Hubs only and the Tradfri lights work well on the Hue Hub and work with the hue dimmer switches and smart switches.

I’ve also got a Sonoff USB Dongle not yet in use.

So my question is this…

What i’m looking to do is bring everything together in HA and install Amazon Fire tablets in key rooms to control the lighting and other integrations like heating etc.

Am i better connecting everything through the Sonoff dongle and getting rid of the other hubs or better using the hubs themselves? Is there pros/cons? Will for instance my hue wall switch modules control both tradfri and hue bulbs in a room? Can i use the tradfri motion sensors to switch on / off hue bulbs etc?

Puzzled at what’s the best option, any advice much appreciated!

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You want one Zigbee network to maximise the mesh capabilities. If you have devices spread across 4 hubs you will have:

  • 4 networks all with their own administration
  • poorer mesh meaning devices far from their hub will struggle to maintain a connection
  • all potentially interfering with each other and your 2.4GHz wifi
  • and I would not be surprised if HA doesn’t let you have more than one of the same integration anyway (eg. 2 Philips Hubs).

I would use the Sonoff because it will have the greatest compatibility with devices - some will not work with all hubs. Not to mention that Philips already turned v1 of their hub into a paperweight. Also, given the Sonoff is not currently in use, it will be easier to slowly migrate everything to HA, rather than nothing working until it’s done.

Then you control everything interoperably in HA - that’s why it exists.